2020 Women on Boards Campaign Honors 304 Companies That Get It

Campaign puts “Z” Companies on notice

Boston

June 20

Women on Boards, (www.2020WOB.com) a national grassroots campaign to increase the number of women on U.S> company boards to 20% or greater by 2020, honored 304 public and private “W” companies this week for reaching or surpassing the 2020 benchmark. “W” companies are winning companies that recognize the importance of board diversity and have 20% or more women on their board of directors.

2020 Women on Boards maintains a gender diversity database, comprised of public companies on the Fortune 500 list and others. Private companies are included, but must self-report. The campaign designates companies as “W” (winning), “V” (very close but not at 20%), “T” (token, with one woman director) or “Z” (zero women directors.)

2020 Women on Boards campaign will publish the directory of “Z” companies on its website in January 2012. The campaign will begin notifying “Z” companies of their designation in July.

Stephanie Sonnabend, co-founder of 2020 Women on Boards and CEO of Sonesta International Hotel Corporation said, “We will congratulate the companies that commit to diverse boards, identify the companies that don’t and encourage the companies with fewer than 20% women directors to add women until they reach the 20% minimum standard for diversity. Our outreach activities will provide a tipping point for change.”

The 2020 Women on Boards campaign was launched in December 2010 in Boston, Massachusetts. 2020 celebrated its 6-month anniversary on June 1 by breaking its goal of 1000 web supporters. The campaign plans to launch 2020 chapters in Massachusetts, New York, Atlanta, Florida, and Louisiana this year.

About 2020 Women on Boards: 2020 Women on Boards is a grassroots campaign to raise the percentage of women who serve on corporate boards in the U.S. to 20 percent or greater by the year 2020. Campaign supporters include individuals, organizations and companies who embrace the principle that diversity in the boardroom encourages good corporate decision-making. Log onto the website: www.2020WOB.com to register your support for the issue or for more information.